Why Isn't the Back Of The iPhone 5 All Aluminum?

[LouieSamman]

With looking at the back of the iPhone 5 and taking a look at the new iPod Touch that is all aluminum, why has apple not just cover the entire back with the aluminum too?

I am not saying that I don't like the look but does anyone know the reason why Apple kept the two glass piece on the top and bottom of the iPhone 5?

 

[willmtaylor]

With looking at the back of the iPhone 5 and taking a look at the new iPod Touch that is all aluminum, why has apple not just cover the entire back with the aluminum too?

I am not saying that I don't like the look but does anyone know the reason why Apple kept the two glass piece on the top and bottom of the iPhone 5?

Reception issues with the various antennae.

 

[robots3humans0]

Signal transmission of certain radios - like bluetooth. It cannot pass through metal but can pass through glass.

Edit: Beaten to it.

 

[SamGabbay]

First post!!!!

Reception issues. Signals can not permeate aluminum like it can through glass. I do like the two tone design.

Edit: Damn someone beat me

Edit x2: WTH!! Someone else beat me!

 

[acorntoy]

Signal transmission of certain radios - like bluetooth. It cannot pass through metal but can pass through glass.

Edit: Beaten to it.

This
+

On the iPod the wifi,Bluetooth etc is located where the ugly piece of plastic is in the upper right hand corner (on the back)

 

[LouieSamman]

So the reason the iPod Touch isn't the same is because it doesn't have antennae?

 

[OatmealRocks]

With looking at the back of the iPhone 5 and taking a look at the new iPod Touch that is all aluminum, why has apple not just cover the entire back with the aluminum too?

I am not saying that I don't like the look but does anyone know the reason why Apple kept the two glass piece on the top and bottom of the iPhone 5?

stupid/

 

[acorntoy]

So the reason the iPod Touch isn't the same is because it doesn't have antennae?

It has much less things that need to penetrate the back of the device and apple is able to fit it all where the black piece of plastic is.

On the iphone the antennas for cellular/wifi etc are locate where the glass is, if you stick a iphone 5 on your leg/arm the signal will degrade because the whole back will be covered.

 

[KieranDotW]

So the reason the iPod Touch isn't the same is because it doesn't have antennae?

Which explains the plastic rounded-rectangle shape on the back of the 1st-3rd and 5th generation iPod touch -- it's the wifi antenna.

Don't know how they managed to get the signal through the aluminum on the 4th gen.

 

[in0va3]

But there's glass on the front of the phone. Can't signal transfer through the front?

 

[Blorzoga]

But there's glass on the front of the phone. Can't signal transfer through the front?

Sure, right through your head.

 

[robots3humans0]

But there's glass on the front of the phone. Can't signal transfer through the front?

The back of the display has a metal heat shield to protect the display from CPU/GPU heat. Can't pass through that.

 

[in0va3]

The back of the display has a metal heat shield to protect the display from CPU/GPU heat. Can't pass through that.

Thanks!

 

[Mrbobb]

I am not saying that I don't like the look but does anyone know the reason why Apple kept the two glass piece on the top and bottom of the iPhone 5?

I OTOH am not shy to say that's just ugly, unbecoming of an Apple product, whatever the technical reason. Wasn't the 4 a complete one-piece deal? (at least by just looking at it).

 

[faiz23]

antennagate

 

[robots3humans0]

I OTOH am not shy to say that's just ugly, unbecoming of an Apple product, whatever the technical reason. Wasn't the 4 a complete one-piece deal? (at least by just looking at it).

It was sort of one-piece, yeah. But it was one piece of glass so the two tone on the back was a non-issue. But they went with something much sturdier this time since a lot of people had broken glass issues, so they had to come up with a way around it.